JP's Birthday - Pas-A-Grill FL - Oct 5, 2006
By: Keith Sykes

A great many of John's family and friends were there to help him celebrate and I saw a lot of people I don't get to see very often. I got to meet Beth Nielsen Chapman and say hello to Al and Dawn Bunetta, and hang out with Jason, Dave and Pat who make up the core of John's band. Everywhere I looked there were people I have met a few times over the years and people I know well. All there for a guy we love so dear. The music started with the band backing all these songwriters one after the next. Roger Cook did the lead-off honors with, if I remember right, "Long, Cool Woman in a Black Dress" and "I Just Want to Dance With You". I mean hell, if you start like that you can't hardly set a better tone for the evening. So many great songs by so many great writers. I should have written down all the songs and writers in the order they appeared and listed them like a reviewer, but then I don't do this so I was ill prepared for the task. Besides, that would have been a task and this night was not about tasks, it was about a birthday. I played the last couple of songs before Fiona presented the cake and made some acknowledgements to those who helped her get all this together.

  read the whole story here:

Shepherd's Bush Empire: Oct 31. 2005
By: Nick Morgan

Photos and full review here

  The last thing I want to do is cause offence, or be thought to be disrespectful. But you know, it has to be said, and it can’t be gainsaid, John Prine has just got the haircut from hell. And it’s not a new thing – take a look at the tonsorial confections that adorn most of his album covers, from the eponymous John Prine of 1971, to the just released Fair and Square, and you’ll see what I mean. And just watch out for 1978’s Bruised Orange, which apart from featuring two of tonight’s classic Prine numbers, ‘Fish and Whistle, and ‘That’s the way the world goes round’, shows a Prinesque rug that would frighten the pets far more than a whole night’s worth of Guy Fawke’s fireworks. And the children naive creatures that they are blessedly are, obviously thought it was a seasonal thing. “Is it the Bad Halloween Man Mommy?” asked a little girl (eyes covered by her mother’s trembling hands) who sat close by us in the Bush’s exclusive upper-deck Executive Class 5/9s, “Tell me Daddy’s hair will never look like that”.

  Well who cares? There’s a Shepherd’s Bush Empire full of Moms and Dads, kids, suited after-office workers, old men with their sandwiches, new-age punks, west London media types, and me and The Photographer, who’ll tell you that this is a man who can in all probability walk on water, and as such the presence of the sad remains of a seventies mullet is nothing. This is John Prine back with his first album of new songs for nine years, a period during which he’s survived major surgery for cancer, and the subsequent chemotherapy (“the doctor said, ‘John, we’re worried about damaging your throat’, I said, ‘Doc, have you ever heard me sing?’”) which saw his voice drop several points on the scale.

  He’s just won some big shot Nashville award for Musician of the Year, and Fair and Square may well have Grammy written all over it. And haircut notwithstanding, he’s just such a nice bloke. He smiles, grins with pleasure at his own lyrics, seems genuinely overwhelmed by the warmth of the reception, and just seems to be having a wonderful time. And he’s got a cough almost as bad as mine and spends much of the night swigging back Benylin from the bottle as if it was Jack Daniels. Even the little girl gently removes her mother’s protective hands from her eyes and gawps with undisguised admiration and affection. John Prine has that sort of effect on you. His clever little songs sneak up on you when you’re least expecting it – wit, melancholy, wry observation, regret, stoicism, anger, guilt, all played out in little domestic vignettes of American life.

  Of course he’s no friend of the powerful. He came to fame partly through the songs he wrote that were inspired by Vietnam – ‘Sam Stone’, ‘Your flag decal’; well, what goes around comes around, and thirty or more years on (“I got this song out of the attic for George Bush and his friends, I hope they all go to jail”) they’re no less relevant than they were then. If anything even more poignant.

  And reinforced by ‘Some humans ain’t human’ from the new disc. Which features a lot during the evening, so we get ‘Crazy as a loon’, ‘Long Monday’, ‘Taking a walk’ ‘Bear Creek’ and ‘She is my everything’ (“This is a song about my wife. It’s a nice song. It’s good to have a nice song about your wife, ‘Cos you can just go ‘round the house humming it when things ain’t too good”). All sung as well as can be expected from a man on a Benylin binge, with support vocals from Mindy Smith (she was dressed for Halloween too) and backed by his superb band of several years: David Jacques on string and electric bass, and the outstanding Jason Wilber on mandolin, lead and slide guitar.

  And of course the new material was spiced up with the best of Prine’s back catalogue, not easy to choose from such a vast collection of impressive work. But we got ‘Souvenirs’, ‘Fish and Whistle’, the gorgeous yet resentful ‘Angel from Montgomery’, ‘Dear Abbey’, ‘Donald and Lydia’, ‘Sam Stone, ‘Ain’t hurting nobody’, ‘Hello in there’. ‘Lake Marie’, and to finish ‘Paradise’. It’s remarkable that any writer can have such a strong body of work to call from, and to be frank even more of a surprise that after a considerable gap he can come back with vibrant new material that equals the old.

  But then I suppose, as his haircut signals, Prine is no ordinary person. Like some other artistes we’ve reviewed on Whiskyfun he gets the ‘national treasure’ treatment from the juvenile critics who don’t quite get it. But for once they’re almost right – but please don’t put John in a Museum, put his haircuts there instead, and charge all the people a dollar and a half just to see ‘em. - Nick morgan (concert photos by Kate)

  Thank you so much, Nick. Here's John Prine's excellent new album, 'Fair & Square'. Something strikes me: the road. I mean, did they shoot this picture on Islay? Doesn't the road look like the 'old' one between Bridgend and Port Ellen? You know, the one that literally floats on peat? Anyway, we have two nice songs by John Prine today: Your flag decal won't get you into heaven anymore.mp3 - http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/flagdecal.mp3 and a another nice one with Dar Williams: The Ocean.mp3 - http://www.anjanettemorton.citymax.com/f/John_Prine_&_Dar_Williams_-_The_Ocean.mp3 . The ocean? Islay again? (nope, I'm no obsessive mono-maniac...) ***

Venue: ennis co clare ireland - november 05
By: dick tobin
great concert

Venue: Indianapolis, IN - March 10,2006
By: appreciative
Being a somewhat "new" fan (although we all have had some of John's lyrics inisde us our whole life...remember that 8th grade dance, our first prom, our first child....that first piece of real love?...) I know I can say with experience that John has written about my life. When I want to strum a few chords and put together a few words that mean something to me...I go and listen to John. His concert in Indy was just like that...not rip-roarin for the ladies, he did not shake his ass all over the stage.. he sung about me and us. Enough said.

Venue: Waterfront Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland -February 2006
By: Roon

What a privilege to see an artist at work. Only my second JP gig and what a stunner. I feel very emotional when I hear him sing these days with his sounding different after throat problems. Sam Stone was the most charged, raw performance and you could have heard a pin fall on a cushion. The photograph on the Album cover is an irish rural scene and you've no idea how proud we feel that he likes this country and visits regularly. I think he and Steve Earle must be near neighbours in the west of ireland! Anyway, what a show. When's the next one?

Venue: Pompano Beach Amphitheater, Florida - 12/18/05?
By: Jack from Florida
John & his 3 piece were hypnotic with their choice of the set list. Old and new were intertwined with the death of Johnny Cash on his recent mind. John seemed to realize his own contributions to the musical world, in his own humble way; in no way comparing himself, just admitting a brother had passed. There was a purpose to perform that night. The set ended with an emotional rendition of "Paradise" (It may have been me that was emotional). This guy makes me feel great about being an average, hard working American. Thanks John

Thoughts from the Margin: John Prine's Little Stab
http://marginthoughts.blogspot.com/2006/05/john-prines-little-stab.html

Venue: Symphony Hall, Birmingham, England- October 2005

By: Frying Pan
Great concert. Sang along all the way through. Never been before. Waiting for the next UK tour!

Venue: Hanford, California- summer of 200?
By: skylynn
John, you had a great concert!!! First time we saw you you were a drinking and a smokin....now after your operation, (so glad you are still here) you weren't ....but still singin and a pickin with some great musicians as great or better than ever!!!! Thanks for keepin creatin, Lynn and Bob Rank

Venue: Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN -October 16, 2004
By: Christopher Jones
This is belated, but since I bought the (Fair & Square) CD, and I found out that "On the Other Side of Town," was actually recorded from this show, I thought I'd go ahead and say I was there. It was an incredible venue. The whole time I felt like I was in church (possibly because we were in pews), but there's nothing wrong with that. I'm happy I got to be there, and on the album (even though I was being silent, I still consider myself on the album). "Pretty Good," "Memphisto," and "Flag Decal" still stand out in my mind to this day..6 months later.

By: johnny little-wolfe co. kentucky
Venue: ashland,ky -  early 2003
My sister bought the tickets for my birthday. Been a fan my whole life, but never as much as after hearing the songs live. can only be described as an awesome performance. Enjoyed the stories just as much as the music. Never seen a better performance.

By: KIM
Venue: National Arts Center- Ottawa, Ontario Canada - Nov.20, 2003
I am a 22-year old girl from a small town in Ontario, and I have to say, this was the best concert I have ever been too!! I was only introduced to John Prine a couple months prior to the concert and I was amazed when I saw the concert...front row even!! John, I think your songs have some of the best lyrics and humour ever written. I just love your music. I want you to know that the song, "In spite of ourselves" with Iris DeMent, has become the official camping song in my part of the woods! It's just so fun to sing!!! Thanks for the music, KIM